Hello from London!

I'm only here for a few hours — but that's by choice.

Minimizing time away from my one-year-old daughter is really important to me, and sometimes that means flying to London for an event and turning right around.

I still managed to accomplish a ton on this trip. And I'm heading back to Europe next week anyway (in part to give you an update on the new immigration system).

Catch up on everything you need to know.

Advertiser and Editorial Disclosure

My mom has had the American Express Platinum Card® for so long that I'd be aging her if I told you when she opened it.

She's one of those people who keeps one premium card and calls it a day.

But when I told her that one sign-up bonus could be worth over $3,000 toward travel, she was intrigued.

The pitch: the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is offering its biggest-ever public welcome bonus: earn 150,000 bonus points after $6,000 in spend in the first three months.

As a longtime Platinum cardholder, she already knows how to maximize a premium card.

So I convinced her to apply. I told her she doesn't need to keep the Reserve forever. (Though my full review might change her mind.)

If you're ready to diversify, here's my Sapphire Reserve affiliate link.

And if you're wondering whether to keep both long-term, hit reply — I've got opinions.

Ever since United debuted the Polaris Studio, I've been eager to see if it lives up to the hype.

Especially since the airline is now charging as much as $699 — on top of a regular Polaris fare — to sit there.

United flies the Polaris Studio from San Francisco to London and Singapore (and soon Zurich).

Trekking to Asia is always fun, but I decided to try the product on the route to London instead. (Yes, that means I flew from New York to SFO just to pick up this plane.)

Here's the verdict: there's a ton to love about it.

The seat is 25% larger than the "regular" Polaris suites, features a massive 27-inch 4K TV, has a buddy seat, converts into a double bed, and includes a long list of unique amenities — including caviar. (Yes, on a U.S. airline.)

That said, there's a massive downside, and it'll probably keep me from flying it again anytime soon.

Global Entry is getting a major change — for the better.

Historically, you've needed to stop at a kiosk to take a photo before proceeding to an officer for final verification.

With the new process — now rolling out at select airports nationwide, including San Francisco — the photo step is eliminated, with a twist.

If you're sitting on Hilton points, I just found you the best redemption ever.

To celebrate America's 250th anniversary, Hilton is offering a slew of road trip packages for just 250 points. (Worth about $1.25, by my math.)

Think road trips through Zion and Bryce, visits to the Great American State Fair, and even a stop at a fishing rodeo. These redemptions include stays at Hilton properties as well.

The experiences will start dropping next week in very limited quantities.

I've gotta say, this collab caught my eye.

Dagne Dover and Lola Blankets just teamed up on a chic travel set that includes a neoprene carryall bag and a color-matched blanket.

I wouldn't normally cover a one-off product drop, but we use Dagne Dover bags on every trip and love our Lola blanket. So I figured it could make a fun travel-themed pick for summer.

It retails for $375, but you can get 35% off with code TRAVEL35.

If you've recently waited in line to get into an airport lounge, odds are you just wasted time.

That's because you can join the lounge waitlist before you even reach the reception desk.

Amex and Capital One both offer this in their mobile apps. (I wish their biggest competitor would do the same.)

In addition to checking live TSA wait times, I also check live lounge wait times before heading to the airport.

I add myself to the waitlist when I estimate I'll arrive, and you should too.

Using these links is the easiest way to support FTTT — and I only recommend what I actually use.

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